seaQuest: Once in a Blue Moon
by murphycat
Summary: Ten years after the disappearance of Nathan Bridger, Kristin Wesphalen has survived. Now can she have a life? Part I, depending on interest.
1. Chapter 1

Dr. Kristin Westphalen was exhausted. Fourteen hours in a tiny hospital, no air conditioning, and_ barely_ sterile surroundings. She hoped the two adults and four children she had stitched up and treated would make it without an infection to complicate already sketchy recoveries.

Shaking her head to clear the negative thoughts, her red hair, now shot through with a few strands of silver, fell about her face sticking to the perspiration on her skin although she had tied it up in a ponytail earlier.

Kristin stopped by her tent, picked up a towel and soap and headed for the makeshift shower set up for her personal use. One of her few luxuries. The water was cool and it was blessedly refreshing as it ran over her hair, across her face and down her body. Hurriedly, the doctor lathered up, washed her hair and then just stood under the rubber water bladder until it ran dry.

She was so tired. So, so, very tired. The past years had been a long endurance race, a marathon running from anguish and loss. Keep moving. To stop was to allow herself to be buried underneath emotional baggage that she no longer had the fortitude to carry.

Leaning her head against one of the wooden poles holding her 'shower' together, she just stood there. Not thinking. Just aching all over, legs, back, neck, and heart.

God, she needed to sleep. Please, no more emergencies tonight.

Wrapping her worn light cotton robe around herself, Kristin reentered her canvas home.

Carefully she zipped up the door before she turned on any type of light, and then she arranged the mosquito netting over her bed, an old cast off military cot, for which she was fairly grateful most nights.

The redhead grabbed a 'wife beater' t-shirt and men's small boxers that she preferred sleeping in and went through the netting to collapse onto her stomach and face to fall asleep.

*******K/N

_Nathan's hand was holding her chin gently, looking into her soft brown eyes._

"_I love you; you know that, right?"_

_Tears filled her eyes, as she nodded her head._

"_Eight weeks and I'll be back. We have a lot to talk about. A lot of time we've lost."_

_Kristin felt his hard, slim body press hers against the wall of her office._

_They were a tangle of arms, legs, kisses, and moans. _

"_I love you more than you'll ever know," he whispered. "Forever." _

_Bridger kissed her quickly and walked out the door and down the hall._

_Realizing what was going to happen, Kristin ran after him, screaming for him to wait. Rounding a corner, she found sea water curling in a giant wave sweeping her backwards and Nathan being sucked forcefully into the undertow._

_**********K & N***_

Kristen woke with a start, her heart hammering in her chest. An awful nightmare that she knew would leave her bereft and lost and would haunt her for days. The same damn nightmare, or terror, that had kept her tormented for the last ten years since the disappearance of _seaQuest_.

The only thing missing this time was watching Lucas drown. That was always a pleasure, she thought miserably.

Flinging back the light sheet on her cot, Kristin angrily pushed the mosquito netting aside. Another day of feeling emotionally gutted; what else was new.

Shorts, cotton shirt and canvas shoes. Hair up, nice and tight. No makeup.

This was her life now. Sixteen months after seaQuest had vanished, Cynthia had come and almost forced her mother away from her home.

No more, mom, Cynny had said. Life is still out there. You have to live it.

So here she was. An island in the middle of nowhere, treating villagers while Cynthia was still saving the world as well. Their paths crossed about every week to ten days. Her daughter brought her mail, information, and anything medical or personal that she desired.

Kristin had no reason to leave. There was nothing left out there in the world at large for her. Her world consisted of this little village now because the man she had loved—no adored—and the life she had expected to live would never be.

Around noon, the people at the clinic had tapered off. Kristin was starving, so she headed to the mess tent where some food was recognizable and some not. Generally, she stuck to fruit, and today was no different.

She sat and watched the children play, running in circles and hitting rocks and cans with sticks. Finally the heat became too much, and she traded in her shorts and shirt for a swimsuit.

Before she headed out, her eyes fell on a chambray blue shirt that had traveled with her for the past ten years. It was worn and the original masculine smell had, of course, been long lost. She pulled it on over her bathing suit and headed for the beach.

This part of the island was nearly always deserted. Kristin threw down her towel and shirt and walked to the edge of the water.

Warm, foamy and sandy the water washed over her feet. She would never see an ocean again and not think of Nathan Bridger, Lucas, and the crew of the seaQuest.

Ploughing into the waves, Kristin headed out beyond the breakers and swam until she tired, then floated, allowing the waves to carry her along.

Here the ocean was so clear and blue that she could see nearly every fish beneath her, so she was startled when something gray passed beneath her, bumping her.

Alarmed, Kristin, twisted around trying to pinpoint the source of her fright when a dolphin jumped high into the air, twisted, and with great agility landed back into the water near her.

Laughing aloud, she clapped her hands. What unadulterated joy! How she envied the dolphin. Abruptly, her mammalian friend was back and bobbing up and down in front of her, squeaking.

Honest to God, if she didn't know better—impossible. There were thousands of dolphins like Darwin in the oceans.

This particular one was intent, however, on pushing her to shore. Finally, the doctor relented and swam with her friend where the waves were cresting in the shallows.

There her dolphin friend appeared to abandon her. She saw it having a blast out in the warm tropical waters. She couldn't help but smile, oh, if only it was Darwin!

Kristin walked back up the sand to her towel and saw a figure approaching down the path. The sunlight was so bright and the reflection of the sand made her wonder if she was imagining things.

A man. Silver hair. Slim. That walk.

Sinking to her knees, she lost her breath and her heart rate was out of control.

It couldn't be—could it?

She couldn't rise, only watch him as he drew closer.

Finally, he dropped to his knees in front of her and removed his sunglasses.

All she could do was stare into the face of Capt. Nathan Bridger.

"Kristin? Hey, I didn't think I'd ever find you. When you get lost, you really get lost." His smile was soft in his weathered face, as if he was afraid she would bolt.

Tentatively, she reached up to touch his face.

"Are you really here or am I hallucinating?"

"I'm here, baby. Believe me. I'm here."

Bridger reached for her and Kristin Westphalen's world went black.


	2. Chapter 2

2 ONCE IN A BLUE MOON

CHAPTER 2

Nathan Bridger sat in Kristin's tent watching her sleep. According to one of the other doctors at the compound, he and the others had been waiting for her to collapse from exhaustion or illness. She pushed herself so hard, unwilling to stop, moving constantly.

The craggy faced man who now held her hand understood that better than the doctors did.

Whoever said time heals all wounds was an idiot. Not _all_ wounds. Sometimes they just scabbed over enough for you to continue to survive, the way he had when he'd lost Carol and Robert.

The former captain of seaQuest had had a hellava time finding her, and in the end, he didn't. She found him, sort of. Well, Cynthia did.

Cynthia had seen the stories of the return of the boat and the crew appearing in various places worldwide. Then there were the endless newsfeeds about the famous captain stepping down. It took her a while, but Kristin's daughter had finally tracked him down through the UEO. She sent him an email and told him where her mother was _if _he wanted to see her.

The alacrity and enthusiasm behind his response was almost overwhelming.

Yes, he wanted to come; where was she; was she all right?

When Cynthia met him at the Andes Island colony, she noticed he looked tired, almost haggard.

During their meal, she was completely honest with him, telling him about her mother's near breakdown from grief and her stubborn refusal to face it. Working herself damn near to death.

They ordered coffee and pastries at the little café, at the port where he'd come ashore. During their repast, she noticed how quiet he had gotten and she wondered if she'd told him too much, violating her mother's privacy.

Maybe Bridger's feelings now weren't as strong as her mother's.

When the older man spoke, it was with great sadness. He explained to her that to him only a year had passed. The captain had been more aware of time on the alien planet than the rest of the crew because he had been brought back first and had helped collect his people and prepare them for return.

Bridger paused, then said, "During that year, I have never longed or missed anyone as much as I did your mother. I can't possibly imagine what the hell of ten years of that must have been like.

"I never stopped loving your mother. I don't think I _can_. I won't hurt her, Cynthia. I give you my word on that."

He reached across the table and his tanned hand embraced hers, and she noticed tears were filling his eyes. Bridger got up quickly and walked to the deck outside to collect himself.

And now here he was, staring at her. The woman who had occupied his every waking moment and most of his dreams.

Kristin Wesphalen had aged some, but mostly time had been very good to her. Her hair was still full but longer and wilder.

Bridger could feel the bones in her hand. She was thin, too thin. Her cheeks which had been full were now hollowed out.

Suddenly, Nathan couldn't wait any longer. He scooted off his chair onto the floor beside her cot.

He kissed her hand, feeling the roughness. He traced the fine bones of her face. He gently ran his fingers through her thick mane of hair, noticing the tiny strands of perfect silver intermingled with the sun-bleached red.

While he touched her, Nathan talked to her softly and lovingly.

"I didn't meant to shock you," he whispered. "I didn't have a clue how to make it any easier on you. I mean I show up after ten years; there aren't a lot of ways to break that to someone. I'm kinda glad you're asleep right now because you'd probably be tearing me apart for being gone so long."

He told her about his encounters and the strangeness of what he'd experienced.

He told her Lucas was fine and that he had stayed about the boat, signed up now as an ensign. She would be proud of how mature he was, but probably angry over his choice to join the military.

Finally, as dark came, one of the other doctors, Paul Jones, came in and rechecked her vitals and IV bag.

The doctor sat on the stool vacated by Nathan earlier and folded his hands in front of him. The compassion in his eyes was obvious.

"Captain, she's suffering from exhaustion and a tremendous emotional shock, so sleeping is good for her."

Dr. Jones hesitated, then continued, quietly, "I know it's hard on you, but when she wakes she'll be stronger. I'll continue the IV fluids and you call for me if anything changes.

"I've taken the liberty of bring you a cot; it's outside, leaning against the door post. I assumed you'd want to be the first person she sees when she awakes." The doctor smiled, "And the first person she wants to see is you, I'm sure."

Jones turned to leave but before he closed the flap, he glanced back over his shoulder and met Bridger's concerned face.

"Captain Bridger, I have say it; you are one lucky man. Only in myths and legends do men ever really have their own personal Penelope's."

Jones disappeared into the darkness.

Bridger thought about what he said. Odysseus and Penelope. He closed his eyes at the irony and anguish of it. When he opened them to the real life woman in front of him, Nathan remembered that that epic had had a happy ending.

Odysseus regained his home, his wife, and his son, but it had taken a fight, a terrible bloody battle.

Nathan Bridger had had his bloody battle as well, but now he was home and ready to lay down his sword for the woman he loved and his grandson.

For that, he was so very appreciative.


	3. Chapter 3

3 ONCE IN A BLUE MOON

Kristin couldn't take her eyes off Nathan.

He lay asleep, off the cot, beside hers, with his hand touching her shoulder when she awoke.

She hadn't dreamed it. _He really was here!_

Kristin remembered his voice, but in her mind, she had interpreted his appearance as a dream. To roll over, now, and see him right there beside her made her heart feel like it was going to pound its way out of her chest.

She reached down and ran her fingers gently threw his hair, separating the strands. Watching his chest move up and down seemed the most miraculous thing she'd ever seen. Tears started to inch down her face, catching on her lashes and she wiped them away with sleeve of her shirt.

"Thank you, God; thank you, God; thank you, God," was her mantra. It was all she could think because right now, rational thinking was out the window and she couldn't process how the man before her had seemingly not aged at all, and yet here he was—alive and well.

Suddenly Nathan's eyes flickered open and like a magnet to iron, their eyes met.

Without speaking, he smiled lovingly at her and she clapped her hand over her mouth and began to cry, heart wrenching sobs torn from a damaged soul.

Nathan sat up and pulled her down to him, clutching her tightly; all the while, Kristin's body was wracked with years of sorrow pouring out.

He held her, whispering to her, wondering if her well of heartache had a bottom.

Finally, her tears taped off, and she pulled back and smiled, her amber eyes full of love.

"I can't believe you're here," she rasped, throwing her arms around him again.

"Oh, I'm here, and the only place I am going is with you. Or you with me—if that's what you want?"

"Nathan Bridger, are you out of your mind?! I'm never letting you out of my sight again," the British woman declared, as she pushed him onto his back and kissed him on every available inch of skin she could find.

********************************N & K**********************

There was a full moon overhead as the two lovers sat on a large set of boulders that had once belonged to the terraced home of the ancient Incans. The top of the mountain was now an island.

The tide was going out and the waves were crashing far enough from them that they could still talk without trying to be heard over the crashing surf.

All day long, Nathan had tried to explain as best he could what had happened to him and the crew of the seaQuest. He told the doctor about the crew members who didn't return, those that had, and he told her about Michael and what that meant. Robert was still alive—somewhere.

Kristin played down the pain she'd endured, not wanting to burden Nathan with more than he already carried. She didn't know that he and Cynthia had already discussed the details, only the larger picture.

The two sat pressed closely together, his arm encircling her, taking in the bewitching evening.

"You know, I imagined you giving me a little rougher time for being gone for so long, I have to say, I am thrilled to be greeted like a conquering hero. Just to be clear, you know, I'm just a bumbling old sea dog who happened to luck out and get to return. I didn't have a whole lot of control over the when and how, but I sure am glad to be back."

He leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers, and she opened hers, gladly welcoming him.

"I don't care how you got back; I'm just happy you're here now, Nathan."

"Do you know how much I missed that accent of yours? I could hear it in my head and your voice was so clear. In my dreams, I guess that's what they were, I tried to tell you where I was and that I loved and missed you. I'm sorry you didn't get the message. I wish I could go back and take away all the hurt you've suffered."

"Right now," Kristin said, "Let's just concentrate on _being_. Shall we?"

Nathan kissed her on the forehead and pulled her close.

"I did have one more thing to say, well, ask, before we go back to the colony, if you'll permit me," he smiled mischievously in the moonlight.

"If you're asking for your shirt back the answer is 'No;' ownership is 9/10th's of the law, mister." She wrapped it tighter around her, and he laughed.

"No, I think that's a moot point."

Nathan reached down into his pocket and pulled something out.

"I, uh, had this before I left for that eight week tour, you know, the one that lasted ten years."

"Yes, I'm remembering something about that adventure," she answered, her manner cheeky.

"How would you like to be Dr. Westphalen-Bridger and a grandmother?"

Nathan held out a pear shaped diamond, so large that it caught the moonlight, flashing it back at her.

Kristin froze, not saying a word, just staring at the ring.

"Uh, if you want to think about it, or the name, or-"

"Yes." Her eyes looked so mysterious in the evening and glistened with unshed tears. "Yes, I'll be any damn thing you want, right now, so you better put it on!"

Nathan slid it onto her finger. Perfect fit.

The platinum and diamond ring danced in the moonlight as Kristin moved her hand around, admiring it.

"It was my mother's ring. When Carol and I married, my parents were still alive, and Carol never wore it. I was in the service when my mother passed and all her things went to storage. I remembered it before my…..trip, and I had just gotten it from-"

"It's the most beautiful-"

She turned into his chest, crying, again.

"Hey, it's not supposed to make you cry! I want to hear some laughter, lady!"

"I'm not crying because I'm sad; I'm crying because I'm happy, you big American Yankee dolt!"

Laughing, he pulled her back to him. "Finally! Now that's the woman I know and love."


End file.
